THE SEED OF EFFICIENCY

I've been shaping boards since I was fifteen and from my very first board, I've taken great pride in the products I created.

Products are the driving force of our passion and closely tied to the products themselves is their marketing: the bringing of our products to the market. So marketing became a complimentary passion, one that provided the context for the products.

Over the last two years, as brand manager, I've been given the opportunity to shape not only products, but also shape a brand and shape a team mixing new people with those of old, each with fresh, amazing talents and each with extraordinary gifts.

People precede products and marketing. And the team that thrives at Starboard today is the seed of our future efficiency. Their talents, their ability to make decisions, their motivation, their energy and their passion: this is the heart that pumps the blood that brings life to innovation and quality.

If I usually take this opportunity to write a little something about our new collection of boards, this time, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank the team, the people whose energy and passion are dedicated to Starboard windsurfing and windsurfing alone. People without whom Starboard boards wouldn't ride the same, wouldn't feel the same, wouldn't look the same or be serviced as well.

So special thanks to Sven Akerboom, who first thought of the Quad and of strapless windsurfing, for supporting the super slim concept from day one, a concept that today has become the Atom; for creating the world leading Flares and Kode, and finally for his support on the Futura program.

Special thanks to Remi Vila, the nicest guy in the world and always the person I end up having the most petty arguments with (it's a French thing). Many thanks Remi, for the iSonics you've created, the two new Formula designs, the World Champion Phantom Races and your support on the Futura program too.

Koltd Black, for his pure creative talent and artistic ability, for his studio photography work this year and most importantly, for finding the time to design no less than five Starboard websites this year.

Arwut Sanpatchaya - the tornado graphic designer we can always rely on to bring closure to our projects. If Arwut wasn't a part of our team, dear readers, Starboard boards would be blank white and you would not hold this catalogue in your hands. Many thanks Arwut.

Then there is the special and hyper-disciplined Marina Olaric. Among many other responsibilities and with over eight hundred mails in my inbox, Marina will still find a way to put me through our daily meetings, to go through any warranty cases of the day so that our customers and Starboard riders can always receive the best after sales service, within 48 hours.

Arnon Saison helps me with all production issues and keeps a permanent eye on quality. Now you need to understand that today, the number of Starboard boards available is more than your other top five brands combined. It has quadrupled in five years. This gives an idea of just how important his support has been in preventing the dilution of quality. So sincere and special thanks to Arnon.

There is Martin Haglev too, our new marketing genius who beams more windsurfing passion than anyone else I've ever met. This guy is a living reflection of our sport and I honestly believe he came from planet Windsurfing. Together, we promise to bring Starboard to the next level.

Last but not least, there is our captain, Svein Rasmussen himself, the catalyst that makes Starboard's chemistry react in the first place and the founder of the brand. The visionary behind the GO, the Start, the Rio, the Gemini, the SUPer and so many more icons of modern windsurfing. Special thanks to Svein for being more than just the ordinary person.

Pride in people. Belief in talent. This will bring us the drive that will grow Starboard into the future, the drive that will push the boundaries of design even further and envision the windsurfing boards of tomorrow.

I started shaping boards when I was fifteen, and I am still proud of every single one since. Today, I take even more pride in Team Starboard 2010. A sincere thanks to this team then, and of course, to you the rider who's windsurfing because windsurfing is life.

Ride strapless,

Tiesda You

Starboard windsurfing equipment's technology has proven to win more championships than ever.
The innovation and quality gear developed will take your sailing to a new level when you encounter
the wind and waves any place any time.